Jul 15, 2015 Wu Tang including their old solo s--- UGK Illmatic Lauryn Hill Pac and Big Doom Eminem pre-retirement s--- Jay Z's older stuff Kanyes discog Lupes first few albums GRODT Wayne pre-C4 Gucci Mane Some Lil B Future post-Honest Kendrick Discog Drake Discog Death Grips Young Thug Those are some of the more important ones imo
Jul 15, 2015 Some pretty horrendous suggestions. A google search would give you good results on essentials btw. To add onto the artists @Fire Squad and some of the albums @Arch Dogg mentioned, here's some more albums you can look into. A lot of it may be difficult to understand the appeal and may take multiple listens. Beastie Boys - Licensed to Ill Big L - Lifestylez Ov Da Poor & Dangerous Black Star - Black Star Bone Thugs - E. 1999 Eternal Common - Like Water For Chocolate DMX - It's Dark And h--- Is Hot g--- Starr - Moment Of Truth or Hard To Earn (Not sure which is considered more of an essential) Ghostface - Supreme Clientele GZA - Liquid Swords Ice Cube - Death Certificate Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill LL Cool J - Radio MF Doom - Madvillainy Mos Def - Black On Both Sides NWA - Straight Outta Compton ODB - Return To The 36 Chambers Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back Rakim - Paid In Full Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx Ras Kaas - Soul On Ice Redman - Whut? Thee Album Run DMC - Run DMC Warren G - Regulate G-Funk Era Young Jeezy - TM 101: Let's Get It 2 Live Crew - As Nasty As They Wanna Be
Jul 15, 2015 Future has worked with and supports 3 out of 4 of those artists. You shouldn't dislike a musician based off their fanbase
Jul 15, 2015 These are all amazing albums but this is a list I would have made if it was 2005. You're ignoring literally every relevant artist that hasn't been rapping since before I was born
Jul 15, 2015 Future's my dude... But to say ASAP, Cudi and Travi$ Scott have essential discographies is LAUGHABLE
Jul 15, 2015 I agree, and I'm pretty sure I'm the biggest Travis fan on the site. I'm js that hate on them was unwarranted. (also, live love and motm1 and 2 are like one tier below essential, might even grow to become essentials in the future)
Jul 15, 2015 @Skippy I get what you're saying. I listen to all the artists you mentioned, outside of Lil B and Death Grips. I agree that all of them should be listened to in order to be updated (couldn't think of a better word) with hip hop today. The way I interpreted OP was a request for older albums that have already stood the test of time and are already universally known to be essentials.
Jul 15, 2015 Ah ok, btw that's a badass list and I plan on listening to quite a few of those that I haven't
Jul 15, 2015 I like you Skippy, but Some Lil B Some Lil B Some Lil B I went through a Lil' B phase where I was DL'ing all of his mixtapes...and I NEVER want to go back, lol. Except for his verse here:
Jul 15, 2015 I absolutely cannot stand lil b but cloud rap wouldn't exist without him, OP asked for essentials not what I like :p
Jul 15, 2015 If only his production was better...I get that he's the rawest rapper, but jesus, guy. You have the ability to rap averagely and already have a following, quit sounding like you're recording everything on a $6 logitech headset. got my vans on but they look like sneakers
Jul 15, 2015 l'orange is one of the most important for someone getting into hip-hop to listen to? come onnnnnn. he's fine, but he's a biter.
Jul 15, 2015 his actual beats are all blu ripoffs, and the "noir rap" aesthetic was bitten wholesale from zilla rocca, who introduced him to his own music, where he created it. he's a fraud.
Jul 15, 2015 Eminem Logic Lil Dicky Yelawolf Fort Minor RiFF RaFF G-Eazy Paul Thompson Machine Gun Kelly Mac Miller
Jul 15, 2015 Yea, I understand Rocca created it..but maybe he's just paying homage to the genre, or is a part of it himself. Idk about his beats sounding like BLU's...there's a few similarities on 'The Night Took Us in Like Family' that sound like a Exile comparison. IDK, maybe I'm bias..because I'm a big fan.. but thanks for clarifying.
